Razer’s $400 soundbar has a crawler camera to help create surround sound

Razer used CES 2023 to expand its range of Speaker lineup With a first-class model with its own subwoofer. Specifications include a frequency response of 40 to 20,000 Hz and a maximum sound pressure level of 98 dB. But for those who prefer to be extra careful with their devices when it comes to privacy and security, the Razer Leviathan V2 ProIt’s disappointing to see the built-in camera.

But Razer insists the infrared camera, located in the front center of the headset, is all in the name of the next level of virtual surround sound. Using head-tracking AI, the loudspeaker can learn where the user is and create a virtual soundscape with the listener as the center point. Beam forming technology comes from audiowho discussed the feature as research at CES 2017 and Shown at CES 2022. The technology allows the sonic landscape to change as it tracks as you move around.

This makes the soundbar a unique product, as Razer aims to expand the capabilities of computer audio without filling home offices and gaming dens with actual speakers. The Leviathan V2 Pro uses THX Spatial Audio’s virtual 7.1 surround sound (Razer acquired THX in 2016) and, according to Razer, focuses on “clear, crisp bass and treble” and “deep and amplified” through three different audio modes, which you can Switch between them through the button above the speaker.

The THX Spatial Audio Virtual Headset’s mode is supposed to convert stereo sound into 3D sound, making it suitable for listening to music on Spotify, for example.

The THX Spatial Audio speakers default to 3D mode for 5.1 and 7.1 sources, with Razer seeing users primarily use them for watching movies and gaming. In a press briefing, a Razer spokesperson said the mode is being used Constructive and destructive interference to put the sound.

The final non-3D sound mode is used when there are other people in the room. The Leviathan V2 Pro doesn’t use camera or beamforming, and instead, attempts to fill the entire room with sound.

But without a physical shutter, there is no way to ensure that the camera doesn’t capture anything. It seems easy to forget which position the speaker is in or is on. We do not have to remind you of unforeseen errors, camera-based security threats, or the latent capabilities (like any tool) of accidental hardware damage.

However, companies like Razer continue to push cameras that use AI into consumer products and encourage people to leave them open and open to enable their features, such as quick logins. Recent examples include the built-in camera Dell 6K monitor announced this week and HP Dragonfly Folio G3 Your laptop, which uses its webcam to automatically dim the screen when it tells you not to look or if it sees someone staring over your shoulder.

There are other audio products, mostly headphones, that use head tracking without a camera. I tried PC headphones, and its effectiveness varied greatly depending on the content you listened to. Head tracking created a variable effect when I moved my head when listening to music, and the benefit of the effect varied across different games. The Razer speakers and subwoofer have a different task in front of them, though, pumping sound outdoors into different types of room settings.

The Leviathan V2 Pro will do just that with a pair of 2-inch full-range drivers and a 5.25-inch subwoofer. Razer supplies a file $250 Leviathan V2, which lacks head tracking but has THX Spatial Audio, with two full range drivers (2″ x 4″), woofers (0.75″), two radiator drivers (1.7″ x 5.3″), and a subwoofer (5.5″) ). The Leviathan V2’s lower-priced set has higher low-end (45Hz vs. 40Hz) than the Leviathan V2 Pro. Both have 10-band EQ adjustable in Razer’s Synapse software.

The back of the speaker houses a subwoofer output port, a 3.5mm jack, and a USB-C 3.0 port. Despite its price, you can’t get by with HDMI, as Razer designed the soundbar to live under computer monitors. You can also connect devices, such as a phone, tablet, or Nintendo Switchvia Bluetooth 5.0.

For those healthy with camera-equipped audio, or sticky tape over it, the Leviathan V2 Pro is the $400.